Where I Went Wrong
by TkaiaWolf
Summary: When Shaki, a free spirited, independent woman is dumped by her long time boyfriend, she steals his horse and hat, and runs off into the wild. But when she stumbles across a meeting of adventurers that call themselves Templars, she's sucked into an adventure that could change her life forever. Will she come out of it alive? Will she come out of it human? slight romance, not much
1. Chapter 1

**So, this is a short background story for Shadow of Israphel by the Yogscast about a Templar named Shaki! Note: Highly important to the my second SOI senario-not relevant to the first one (yet).**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Minecraft, the Yogscast, or any of their characters or senarios.**

Chapter One

Freedom

"Look, I'm sorry, Shaki, but... This just isn't going to work out."

I cocked my head to the side. Funny, things between Riley and I had been fine just yesterday. And all evening he had been glancing in that blond chick's direction... Coincidence? I think not.

"I get it." I said, flipping my honey-blond hair seductively, fluttering my chocolate brown eyes. My skin was a dark tan, and my clothes a little immodest, brown leather pants and a slightly revealing white blouse, but, hey, that was just my style. "You're going for Ms. Blondie over there."

"Wh-what? I-" Riley stammered. I laughed, my eyes as cold as ice.

"Oh, please, Ri, you've been glancing over at her all night. What's the betting that if I went over to the innkeeper right now and asked if you two had booked a room-"

"Shaki, seriously, I just-"

"Look, Ri, it's fine. You want her. I'm just not pretty enough anymore. It's cool. I knew it would happen eventually. See ya, hon. Been nice, but I'm out." I got up, grabbing his floppy brown hat off his head, knowing full well that he was far too stunned to notice. I walked out of the bar, swinging my hips, winking at the occasional guy.

I was easily the most beautiful girl in town, and I could have had my choice of guys, if it weren't for one teensy problem; I want more out of a guy than just being good in bed. I would actually like a lasting relationship. More than just sex. But, alas, the most beautiful girl in town doesn't get that, and guys get sick of me and my free thinking after a week or two. Oh, well. Riley wasn't a real loss.

I walked to the stables outside the bar. Thresha, Riley's beautiful tan roan horse, would be the only thing I missed. He never took proper care of her, and she loved me as much as I loved her...

"That does it." I muttered, stroking her snout. I walked over to the stable boy, and shoved a few gold coins in his hands. "It wasn't me. Don't tell Mr. Riley." I murmured. The boy nodded, shoving the coins hurriedly into his pocket. I led Thresha out of her stall, and rode her, bareback, out of town.

Okay, so I was breaking the law. At least I was doing the right thing. We climbed up a hill and stopped in a meadow. I slid smoothly off Thresha's back and lay down in the grass. I sighed. Nope, even if it was the right thing, I couldn't show my face in town again. I'd have to move on. Whatever. I still had my dual knives, plenty of gold, my favorite clothes, and Thresha. The rest of the stuff in my house was worthless, anyway. I'd just ride into the next town, rent a room, spend the night, and... What?

Despite my situation, I giggled gleefully. Freedom. No plans. No worries. Nothing to lose. This was my idea of paradise.

I jumped up suddenly, running and jumping onto Thresha's back even as she took off, laughing with joy as I rode off over the hills. Freedom.

It was three days after the Riley incident. Towns were easy enough to find, gold easy enough to come by, doing odd jobs. I kept Thresha and I fed and happy. I could almost say that my life was worry free. Almost.

But things had been going a bit odd lately. Rumors abound that the northern desert was getting bigger, and strange creatures of the night coming from dark caves and ruins. No one went out at night anymore. I didn't used to pay the rumors any mind. Until last night. Thresha and I were sleeping out under the stars, not being near enough to a town to bother going there. I was nearly asleep when-

"Hissssssssss!" I opened my eyes just in time to see some green... Thing explode, pelting me with shrapnel. Thresha screeched with fear, and I jumped up to calm her. I grabbed my bag and quickly rode her at a fast run as far away from the green thing as possible. Then, we got lost.

"Oh, gods, Thresh, where are we?" I murmured, looking around. The road was no where in sight. It started to rain, and by the temporary light of a lightning strike, I saw-was that a castle?-in the distance. Not knowing what else to do, I rode Thresha over to it. A yellow flag with a red cross flapped wildly in the wind of the growing storm. I got off and led Thresha right into the courtyard. I looked in a window. Some intimidating people in white uniforms with red crosses on them were poring over a map. I banged on the door. It was opened by a dark young man.

"Excuse me, sir, but my horse and I got lost in the storm, and..." I said, gesturing to the rain helplessly.

"Ah, yes, of course. Come in, come in." The man said, leading me inside. "I'll take your horse to the stables." He closed the door behind him, leaving me with about a dozen soldiers staring at me.

"Please, sit down." The man at the head of the table said. He had a large beard and a huge war hammer strapped to his waist. He gestured to an empty chair. I took it. "May I ask your name?"

"Shaki, sir. Thank you for taking me." I replied.

"Not at all, not at all. My name is Verigan." The man replied. My eyes widened.

"You mean, the Verigan?" I asked. "The adventurer?"

"Yes, indeed."

I looked around, suddenly spotting other faces that I had heard of from stories. Karpath and Adaephon, the sons of Verigan. Arabella Bacon, the adventurous young woman. Fumblemore, the pyromaniac wizard. Spacker le Chuck, the pirate dwarf. Tinman, the robot. There were a few that I didn't know, too.

"Allow us to introduce ourselves. We are the Templars." Karpath said.

"Templars?"

"An organization bent on protecting Minecraftia." Karpath replied.

"From whom?" I asked. Adaephon started to answer, but was quelled by a sharp look from his father.

"Yeh ask quite a few questions for a mere girl lost in the storm, lassie." Spacker said suspiciously.

"I'm merely curious." I replied cooly.

"Perhaps you should leave us." Verigan said. "Kesha, could you-"

"Does this have anything to do with the Northern Desert? Or the Ruined Castle?" I asked. They all stared at me. "Just checking. Because I happen to know quite a bit about the Desert. I used to live there."

"You what?" Fumblemore asked incredulously.

"I did. I know it better than just about anyone. Or I used to."

"What do you mean by that?" Arabella asked.

"Well, that was before my parents died." I said. "Or, more like, were kidnapped."

"Kidnapped? What do you mean?" Karpath asked.

"Well, the official story is that my parents died in a tragic accident, but my sister told me the truth. She was there. She saw him." I said. Okay, maybe it was wierd that I could talk about my parents' demise nonchalantly, but I barely knew them. I was only three when they disappeared.

"And what does she say happened?" Asked a young woman.

"She told me that it was storming that night. And a man came. But... He wasn't like any man she'd ever seen." I said. "He was wearing a long dark robe, and he had glowing red eyes, and a pale face-"

"What?" Verigan yelled, jumping to his feet. He and his sons exchanged dark looks. "Pale face? Red eyes?"

"Yes." I said apprehensively. "My sister told me that he k-killed my father, and took my mother away. She used to take me exploring the desert. Then she disappeared, too, a few years ago. I haven't been back in there since. But I remember it vividly."

Verigan bedoned his sons over to him. They muttered to each other for a bit. I heard the words "Sentinal" and "Lehparsi". Finally, Verigan looked up at me.

"Shaki, do you have any weapons?" He asked. Confused, I drew my dual knives. "How good are you?" Without warning, Karpath attacked.

I avoided his blade with a backwards flip, then slashed at his neck. He deflected the blow, and attacked again. I rolled out of the way, then crossed my knives, keeping Karpath's sword from slamming into my face. I jumped in to the air, landing behind him, then pivoting and attacking before he could turn around. Before I knew what was happening, I had him pinned against the wall, my knives crossed at his neck. We stared at each other, breathing heavily.

"I expect you would have won," I said eventually. "Had you not underestimated me." I sheathed my knives. He put his sword back in its scabbard.

I turned back to the table. Verigan was looking at me with an appraising eye. "Few could best Karpath, even if he wasn't expecting it. How would you like to join the Templars?" I stared at him for a moment, then shrugged.

"It's not like I have anything better to do."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

War Hero

The other Templars were gathered around the table, laughing, drinking, talking, and generally celebrating. We had recently won a great battle, and the Templars had earned a night of feasting, and we were living it up like there was no tomorrow, which, when I thought about it, there might not have been, for a lot of us. That was the main reason why we were celebrating- it was the first battle in a while where no one was lost.

"When are you doing to learn that you can't sneak up on me, Adaephon?" I asked without turning around.

"About the same time you learn that I won't stop trying." The young man replied, turning me around anyway and kissing my lips. I kissed him back, and happily. It had been about a year, and Adaephon and I had grown rather... Close.

We broke apart, smiling. I noticed Verigan over Adaephon's shoulder, giving me a look that clearly said, "I don't approve, but I doubt there's anything I can do about it." I gave him a slightly cocky smile and kissed Adaephon again.

"Father watching?" He murmered when we broke apart yet again.

"You know I love to get on his nerves." I said wryly.

"Perhaps we should retreat to somewhere more... Private?" Adaephon suggested, smiling seductively.

"Perhaps we should." I replied, following him up to our shared quarters.

I slashed another skeleton in half, and stabbed a zombie between the eyes. A ways away, I heard Karpath yelling his defiance at enemies of his own, and nearby Verigan was also fighting monsters, smashing them to bits with his war hammer. The three of us were in the desert, in a final attempt to stem the evil at its source-the dark pharoah Lehparsi.

The pharoah himself stood at the top of the stairs leading up to a sandstone temple. A Hellgate, tall and black, stood in the temple, upon a pedestal. Lehparsi was exactly as my sister had described him-tall and pale, with glowing red eyes. He wore a simple black robe, adorned with obsidian upon gold ornaments, and a snake's head crown. He stared down at the battle, yelling threats to his monster army, telling them that no matter what amount of pain we gave them, his wrath would be worse.

Karpath yelled as he was thrown back, and landed in the sand next to me. I helped him up. He looked up at me, cuts and minor wounds all over his body. "Thanks." He gasped. "Damn wind devils. Keep an eye on Verigan for me!"

"Of course." I said, and he ran off to continue fighting. I engaged a legion of desert scorpions, checking that Verigan was okay whenever I had the chance. The last thing we needed was for our leader to die.

After hours of constant battle, Karpath and I met up again. Lehparsi's forces were all but defeated. Karpath grinned. "Nice job, Shaki. Maybe you're worthy of my brother after all."

"You're not still on about that, are you?" I asked jokingly. Suddenly, a high, shrieking laugh sounded from the temple.

We whirled around just in time to see Verigan, the great, brave adventurer, be stabbed in the gut by Lehparsi's obsidian khopesh. I cried out, but Karpath just watched in horror as Verigan looked at him, cried out, "Go!", and toppled through the Hellgate.

"Father, no!" Karpath yelled, and drew his sword. Lehparsi smirked and notched an arrow. It pierced Karpath's chest, inches away from his heart. His face still contorted in anger and grief, he fell.

"Karpath!" I yelled. I turned to Lehparsi. "Karpath... Verigan... You... You... No! You took everything from me!" I screamed, and drew my dual knives. "My sister, dead. My father, dead. My mother, Notch knows where. All. Because. Of. You!"

"Who are you referring to-ah, yes." Lehparsi smiled. His voice was harsh, grating, and cold as ice. "I recall a face similar to yours. You look ever so much like you mother, you know. But that fire, that free spirit... I saw that in your father's eyes as well. Saw that as I killed him."

I sobbed, and charged. Steel met obsidian as we dueled. Logically, I knew I didn't stand a chance; he was stronger, faster, smarter, superior in every way. But I was out for blood.

I slashed, swiped, blocked, and stabbed faster than I had ever fought before, but it still wasn't enough. All too soon, I was up against a wall, Lehparsi's blade poised to kill me. He smiled, and I closed my eyes, and waited for the pain to come. My eyes shot open as Lehparsi gasped.

A long, slender sword engraved with anctient runes had burst from his chest. He made eye contact with me, red eyes to brown, as he dissipated into shadow. Karpath stood, one arm clutched to his chest in an attempt to stem the flow of blood, the other holding the sword that killed the Dark Pharoah.

I was about to thank him, congratulate him, when I looked into his indigo eyes. There was no warmth there-only grief, pain, and, worst of all, accusation. "My father. I told you to watch my father." He whispered. "I told you to watch him, and now he's dead."

I watched in shock as he collapsed in the sand, and I began to cry.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Five Years Later

It was storming, and Thresha and I were running through the woods. Fighting off a feeling of deja-vu, I steered her out of the woods. In the distance, the windows of a house at the lakeside glowed with light. Figuring it was the best I could do, I set off at a trot towards the house.

I knocked at the door. Inside, I heard footsteps approaching, and the door opened. A beautiful young woman with dark hair and a friendly face holding a baby with dark hair appeared there. A young boy with tousled brown hair peered around her legs.

"Ma'am, I'm terribly sorry to bother you this time of night, but I have no where to stay, and it's storming-"

"Oh, please, come in, come in. Your horse can stay under the eaves, and I have some wheat for her." The woman led me inside after waiting for me to tie Thresha to a post outside. "My name is Minthor, Minthor Peculier." She added as she gathered the wheat from her pantry.

"Shaki." I replied. The boy jumped as lightning flashed outside. "And who might you be?" I asked kindly.

"V-Verigan, miss." He replied. "And my sister, she's with my mom, she's Isabel." I smiled, trying to hide the shock and guilt I felt at hearing the boy's name. Karpath had never forgiven me when his father died when I was supposed to be watching his back on our expedition into the Desert. And I had never forgiven myself. Minthor returned, setting baby Isabel on the couch beside her.

"Please, sit down." She said. I took the proffered seat. "I'm afraid that my husband, Karpath, isn't in. He's out hunting creepers. You know how it is."

"Yes, I understand." I said, nodding. It was a common thing, for men to be out hunting at night, especially when they didn't live in a city with guards to protect them.

"How did you get caught outside in a storm like this? You couldn't get home?" Minthor asked.

"I don't have a home." I said lightly. "I just wander around. But there wasn't a town nearby, so I couldn't rent a room at the inn, and I definitely couldn't stay outside tonight." We laughed.

"Well, you aren't the first to seek shelter here." Minthor replied, still laughing. "And I doubt you'll be the last. I was about to serve dinner, would you care to join us?"

"Only if you have enough." I replied.

"Oh, there's plenty, Shaki, plenty." She led me and the children into the dining room, then went into the kitchen to get the food. We enjoyed a dinner of steak and mushroom stew, both of which were far better than I could have managed, and talked for a while. After Isabel fell asleep in her mother's lap, and Verigan started nodding off, she led them up to bed. I retired as well, looking foreword to a good night's sleep.

What a shame it was that I didn't get it.

"Shaki, Ms. Shaki, please wake up!" I jumped as little Verigan shook me awake. "Please, you have to help me!"

"What, Verigan, what is it?" I asked, sitting up and grabbing my bag and knives, which were next to the couch I had slept on.

"Th-this man... He took Mama!" The boy cried. I bolted to my feet.

"Which way did he go? Which way, Verigan?!" I asked frantically.

"N-North, I think!" My mind filled with dread.

"What did he look like?"

"P-pale. And he had red eyes, and a black cloak." Verigan stammered. I quickly rummaged in my satchel, pulling out a white tunic with a faded red cross on it.

"Verigan, will your father be home soon?" I asked. He nodded. "Tell him, the moment he gets home, these exact words. Are you ready?"

"Y-Yes."

"Tell him that the Enemy has taken Minthor to the old battleground, and that Shaki has gone to get her. Understand?"

"Yes. Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find your mother."

"Then let me come too! I can fight, Papa showed me how!" Verigan said, fumbling with an overlarge stone sword.

"No, Verigan. Listen, Verigan!" I said when he started to protest. "That man was dangerous. He would kill you. I want you to stay here! Stay here and protect your sister! Okay?"

"But-"

"No, Verigan! You stay here, you protect your sister, you deliver my message! Okay?!" I insisted.

"But I-"

"Okay?!"

Verigan hesitated. "Okay." He said quietly, looking down.

"Good boy." I murmured, then pulled on the tunic, raced outiside, untied Thresha, and rode top speed toward the Desert.

We leaped the short point in the wall, ignoring Adaephon's attempts to stop us from leaving Verigan's Hold. The rain stopped abruptly upon entering the Desert, and I could see a cloud of dust in the distance.

"Lehparsi." I muttered, then urged Thresha to go faster. Despite having been at a hard run for miles, she obliged, as though she knew just how important this was.

We crested a sand dune, and, as we descended it, I saw Lehparsi riding a skeletal horse, Minthor limp behind him. The undead beast was fast, but no match for Thresha. I drew my spatha, a cavalry sword that the Templar's smithy, Mr. Duke, had made me, and slashed off one of the skeleton's legs. It stumbled, and Lehparsi looked around at me. Growling, he notched an arrow in his obsidian bow.

I dodged the bolt, and slashed at him again. His beast cantered out of the way. Realizing that I was too close for an arrow to work, he reluctantly drew his obsidian blade. Our swords clashed, iron upon obsidian, and by some unholy power, my blade snapped. I laughed, reaching to draw a knife, but then I saw a grim smile on his warped, distorted face. I looked down.

A long, thin shard of iron was sticking out of my heart. A rosette of blood was blooming on my tunic. I felt my pulse slow, and my vision blurred. My horse, my beautiful, loyal, brave Thresha, screeched as an arrow pierced her chest. She fell, instantly dead, and I lay splayed across the sand. Lehparsi dismounted, and walked slowly over to me.

"A worthy opponent." He mused, his voice cold and dark, like shadows given sound. "And soon to be a worthy minion." He waved his hand over me, muttering the dark incantations that would turn me into a zombie. A dark cloud appeared over my body, then faded. He frowned, then tried again, with the same result. I laughed softly. My pulse was barely detectable. My tunic was covered in blood.

"No, Dark One" I murmured, still laughing. "I will not become one of your tools. You shall not claim me. I am free." I laughed louder, as my body began to glow with a feeling of love, beauty, freedom. I felt my body fade away, but my spirit stayed anchored to the sand I lay on. "Free." I whispered as I died.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The Spirit of the Desert

What the Desert knows, so do I. We are one. And I know that the Dark One, who had taken Minthor into his clutches was not Lepharsi, but Israphel, though, in some ways, to speak of one would be to speak of the other. But in others, they are as different as can be.

Israphel flew across the Desert, like a great bat, with his captive. I pursued, in the form of a horse made of whirling sand. He was fast, perhaps, but I was quite literally in my element. I give the term 'home field advantage' a whole new meaning. I am the essence of the Desert, freedom, love, and beauty given form, a whirlwind of sand, to be defeated by none. I am no longer Shaki, mortal Templar rider. I am Shaki, spirit of the Desert.

Once I drew close, I shifted form again, this time to a great falcon, surrounded in a biting whirlwind. Before he could sense me, I attacked, raking my talons across his eyes, his face, his head. He turned in shock, and I attacked again, slashing at his neck. He dodged, and sped up. I nearly laughed. He tried to outrun me in my home territory. How cute.

But suddenly, my mirth faded. He was nearing his stronghold. And, more importantly, a Hellgate. Should he proceed through it, I could not follow.

He flew into his stronghold, and up the dais to the portal. Before it, he lay Minthor, and drew his obsidian blade. Before he could strike, I rushed forward, this time in human form. I raised my hand, and a miniature sandstorm with all the fury of the real thing appeared in front of me, blinding Israphel and deflecting his blade.

Despite how strong I was, I knew that he would get by me eventually. So I turned and knelt next to Minthor. I lay my hand on her neck.

"Oh, woman I have sworn to protect." I whispered. My voice was different than it had been in life; soft, with all the inistancy and gentleness of a desert breeze. "I give thee the Desert's Gem. Let it flow into your spirit, and defend thee from my rival. He shall not harm you, nor shall you be harmed on his orders. With this, I bless thee."

Her neck started to glow, and, as though burned into her skin, a yellow teardrop appeared where my hand had been. I turned my attantion to Israphel.

"You came to the Overland," I said, a whirlwind appearing around me, my eyes, with irises yellow and fluid, like shifting sands, fiery with rage. "To take revenge on your vanquisher. This is an act of greed. As a fellow spirit, I would expect you to have more honor than that. But as the spirit of the Nether, I would expect just this."

"So." Israphel panted. His voice was quiet and dark, like shadow given sound. "The Desert claims a spirit? Well done, Shaki. I didn't know you had it in you."

"You toy with me?" I asked dangerously.

"No. I ask you to join me."

I stared at him, the sand in my eyes whirling faster in anger. "You dare recruit me?" I whispered. "You, who have abused my being, murdered countless innocents, you, whom I despise, now and before?"

"Yes, I suppose I do."

I merely glared at him. "Leave the Desert, Israphel. Leave it, and, if you've any intelligence, you will not return." In a whirl of sand, I vanished.

Israphel did return. But he was heavily veiled in magic. So I waited, and I watched. And now he has risen a second time. I await my calling, to destroy the thing that corrupts my endless sands. I will destroy it. For I am the spirit of the Desert.

I will not be defeated.


End file.
